Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-15

of one hundred dollars.
Soon after, the two left the saloon, parted
at the street corner, and Mr.. Smith return
ed to his hotel
What did it mean, and what was to be
done about il? For all that the detective
knew, the transaction he had witnessed was
an entirely legitimate one. The profess
sional gentleman had apparently sold to Mr.
Smith United States 5-2O bond of five
hundred dollars 1t was true that n thou
sand dollars had been paid for it, but that
did not make the sale illegal. There was
no law against paying hundred times the
face value if the purchaser, with his eyes
open, chose to do So
The question was, had the bond in ques-
ton been honestly come by? If not then
there had been a purchase and sale of stolen
goods, and the parties could be arrested.
Now, the probability of the bond having
been stolen was strong. In the first place,
it was in the possession of "A known crook,
and crooks are not in the habit of investing
in Government securities in the usual way.
Secondly, this particular crook was regard
ell as a possible accomplish in the Manhat-
tan robbery. Thirdly twentysix 5-2O
bonds of five hundred dollars each were
among the securities stolen fom the Man
haitian Bank Fourthly, the printed paper
or circular which Mr.. Smiths friend had
shown him must have been the announce
ment disseminated by the bank on the day
after the robbery. Filthy, why should Mr..
Smith have given double its value for the
bond had he wanted it for its normal pur-
pose, and what other reason could he have
than n desire to protect himself against
some mischief which the bond might be
nsed to infiict upon him. These We're CO
,,,1. thn f,DS
other side was not to be ignored.
CHAPTER TX.
. The case for the other side stood somewhat
rs follows; To begin with, the detective
had not actually seen the bond and per
hans there was no bond there. In the next
place supposing there was bond, it may
not have been stolen Again, regarded
the paper that resembled the bank circular,
it NAV have been something else; and,
finally, the fact that Mr.. Smith paid a
thousand dollars instead of five hundred
NAV have been merely III settlement of
some former transaction of which the detec-
tives knew nothing
Moreover. there were in this instance
valid objections against making an arrest
on the chance that an investigation Of Mr..
Smiths pockets would Justify it. If the
bond proved to be one of the stolen ones
then. indeed it would be all right; but, if
not then the authorities would be much
worse Off than if they had done nothing.
For they were proceeding against Mr..
Smith upon the assumption that he was
guilty. and if this arrest failed to prove him
so he would thenceforth enjoy the immense
advantage of having been put on his guard.
and would devote all his means and ingenu-
ity to parryng further attack. In other
words, to arrest him now would practically
be to hazard everything on single cast of
the die, and with the odds rather against
success. BY waiting, on the other hand 1t
was not likely that anything would be lost
and everything might be gained. And upon
this statement of the matter the detectives
finally decided that the arrest should he post
poned.
1t was open to them, however, to pursue
an intermediate course. There were ways
of obtaining a knowledge of the contents of
Mr. Smith carpet bag and pockets without
Subiectng him to any legal process.
Whether or not the present case were
"eXtreme" enough it was not easy to de
eide. There was not much leisure to de
bate the matter or to obtain specific instruc-
tions from headquarters. In the absence of
such instructions the detectives were obliged
to use their own discretion, and they finally
concluded to keep on Mr.. Smiths heels and
find ont what use he intended to make of
the bond if any and what further business
he might have to transact in Chicago.
But Mr.. Smiths business in Chicago was
already at an end.
On making inquiries at the desk of the
hotel, it appeared that he had paid his bill
AMI announced his intention of taking the
night train back to New York 1t then
lacked but half an hour of the time at which
the train was to start. The detectives
jumped into hack, reached the depot and
boarded the train just as it was pulling out.
They walked through the train and had the
satisfaction of seeing Mr.. Smith comfort
ably ensconced in the smoking car.
He had the serene aspect of man who
has successfully accomplished desired OBJ
ject One of the detectives sat down neal
him and presently entered into conversation
with him. He found him eminently con
versatile and apparently as unreserved rs q
| gentleman may properly be- He had as
certained that Mr.. Smith occupied the sec
ton opposite his own, and was proceeding
; to enlarge the scope of the conversation
preparatory to directing il to certain points
of particular interest when his interlocutor
throwing away the butt of his cigar, po
litely explained that he had been travelling
all the night before and was too sleepy t.
sit up any longer. The detective thereupoI
admitted that he, too, was in urgent neeC
of rest, and accompanied the other back Il
the sleeping car, While the two gentlemen
were preparing for bed the detective con
trived to inform himself that Mr. Smith
valse was the only art Gle of baggage thai
| he had with him.
The detective only removed his coat ano
: shoes and lay down on his couch withou
any very clear idea of what he was to dc
5 next. Mr.. Smith, on the contrary, wen
through complete night toilet even goinl
so far as to put on an elegant red silk cap
g and having put his valse and boots under
meath the bed, he covered himself up will
5 the blankets, drew his curtains, babe hi
neighbor good night, and five minutes late
was snoring with peaceful regularity
t Meanwhile the detective lay on his bacl
! wondering whether the stolen bonds wer
e i'll the valise or the coat pocket.